Finding this homestay was not a problem at all, Dixit(a young guy who servers the guests in the homestay) had come to pic us from Aldur, this was not expected, felt nice by this gesture. The road to the homestay is not good, but not too bad also. The homestay is situated in a calm, peaceful, silent, safe, clean place. The hosts stay a bit far from the guest room, so you have your own privacy. There are two rooms which could accommodate easily 10 persons, amenities wise improvement is required. The food prepared was tasty, quality and quantity wise also. Whatever we ordered as per menu the food was prepared according to that. As promised they provided whatever the tariff included.

The host Nishanth is a nice person, very cooperative and well behaved. Dixit was our guide who took us to trekking, sunset point, very innocent and nice person. Overall it was a good experience to spend time in this homestay. If you are looking for a calm, peace and house like environment i would definitely suggest this place, which is not much commercialized.

The Forest Homestay is a one-of-its-kind guesthouse in Chikmagalur that caters to the traveller seeking some pleasure in solitude. It is situated in middle of the coffee estate where we can see only green around.Host plans the guests’ itinerary and makes sure he himself is the guide of every activity that the guest indulges in – whether it’s an early morning bird-watching trail or a trek up to the hill top. He keeps the guests engaged with interesting stories and conversations. The truth behind eco-tourism, the need of conservation, the mix of guests he receives round the year and what not – were discussed at the dining table.Their Pet Bolt and Rakee make their life complete. The insects, the frogs, the spiders, the birds in the forest – all are their companions for life. They treat the guests as extended family and share valuable moments that can be cherished forever.

A trek through the forest to reach the top of the Hottegallu. The trek route to was no less exciting. It was an hour uphill walk through these dense forests. Needless to say, we were continuously accompanied by the sounds of insects and birds on our trail. The forest is home to more than 270 species of birds! It gave us enough opportunity for bird photography during the trek, and the morning after as well. The view from the top of the Hottegallu opens up an amazing vista of the vast rolling expanses of the Western Ghats. The trek is completely worth the effort.

The frame through my lens was painted green with the surrounding greenery and its green reflections on the river. Completely deserted by human life, the silence of the forest was pierced by the sounds of insects and birds only.The swim in the river was followed by sitting idle against a small stream that was formed due to some rock obstacles in the course of the river. We felt the force of the water on our backs and kept gazing at the beauty that the wilderness presented before us. I wondered if the swimming pool of any five-star resort can offer pleasure of this magnitude.

I would say The Forest Homestay is for the traveller, not for the tourist.

If you are planning a wild escape from the urban concrete jungle, if you do not need a list of ‘sightseeing spots’ for a perfect vacation, if you are fine with submitting yourself to the wilderness for a while.